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The biggest problem that faces the contracting industry these day is a lack of good people. We hear it all the time at AirTime 500. Our members struggle to find solid, hardworking people who have some communication skills. I’m guessing if you’re an HVAC business owner, you probably face the same struggle. The struggle is very real.

However, the problem isn’t always a lack of good people. Yes, you’ve probably had to fire dozens of people over the years. Some of whom you actually thought would work out. They came from good backgrounds. Their references panned out—but they didn’t. So, what happened?

Here’s a scary truth: If you’re not training in your company every single week, you’ve likely fired/let go some quality employees in the past and didn’t know it.

I know… You’re probably saying, “No, I haven’t.” But again, if you’re not training your people and motivating them, the chances are likely.

And I’m not talking about intermittent technical training. I’m talking about communications training. Leadership training. Motivational training. If you’re in the residential service business especially, you need to spend as much time or more time training your technicians how to talk with homeowners as you do teaching the technical nuances of the trade.

If you want to make real money in the service business, you need to show your technicians how to evaluate the entire home—not just the problem they were called out for that day. And you need to teach your technicians how to explain WHY they’re evaluating the whole home—to reduce the likelihood of unexpected plumbing emergencies—and you need to teach your technicians how to provide options of how to solve each issue.

Your technicians should be getting communication training for at least several weeks before ever going on a service call on their own. They should be working with you in the office, and they should especially be riding along with senior technicians, so they can see what’s expected of them on a daily basis.

Training is the absolute most important component of a successful service business. At AirTime, we have spent over a decade refining the technician/homeowner communication process and training contractors and their techs how to master it. We’d love to show you if you’re interested.

2 Comments

I like how you said, “…you need to show your technicians how to evaluate the entire home…”. My friend works as an HVAC tech and he knows a lot. He regularly studies manuals at work to learn more. Also, his work trains him on new techniques every month. Do most technicians have certifications?

From a customer’s standpoint I think this information is really useful. Finding a company that spends this amount of time and training on its employee will reflect in all aspects of their work. That’ll be a good way to help you find the right contractor for your house. Thanks for sharing this.

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